Swift River Audiobook By Essie Chambers cover art

Swift River

Preview
Try for $0.00
Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Swift River

By: Essie Chambers
Narrated by: Shayna Small, Janina Edwards, Robin Miles
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $19.49

Buy for $19.49

Confirm purchase
Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use, License, and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.
Cancel

About this listen

A READ WITH JENNA TODAY SHOW BOOK CLUB PICK | A National Bestseller | A Most Anticipated Book from Today, Real Simple, Time, Los Angeles Times, and BookPage

“The book we all need to revive our souls” (Nicole Dennis-Benn): A sweeping family saga about the complicated bond between mothers and daughters, the disappearance of a father, and the long-hidden history of a declining New England mill town.

“A powerful novel about how our family history shapes us.
Swift River broke my heart, and then offered me hope.” —Ann Napolitano, New York Times bestselling author of Hello Beautiful

It’s the summer of 1987 in Swift River, and Diamond Newberry is learning how to drive. Ever since her Pop disappeared seven years ago, she and her mother hitchhike everywhere they go. But that’s not the only reason Diamond stands out: she’s teased relentlessly about her weight, and since Pop’s been gone, she is the only Black person in all of Swift River. This summer, Ma is determined to declare Pop legally dead so that they can collect his life insurance money, get their house back from the bank, and finally move on.

But when Diamond receives a letter from a relative she’s never met, key elements of Pop’s life are uncovered, and she is introduced to two generations of African American Newberry women, whose lives span the 20th century and reveal a much larger picture of prejudice and abandonment, of love and devotion. As pieces of their shared past become clearer, Diamond gains a sense of her place in the world and in her family. But how will what she’s learned of the past change her future?

A story of first friendships, family secrets, and finding the courage to let go, Swift River is a sensational debut about how history shapes us and heralds the arrival of a major new literary talent.

©2024 Essie Chambers (P)2024 Simon & Schuster Audio
African American Coming of Age Family Life Genre Fiction Sagas Heartfelt Summer
adbl_web_global_use_to_activate_T1_webcro805_stickypopup

Dear Listener,

How did my own family history influence my debut novel?
"I’ve always been haunted by the holes in my family tree. On the white side of my family, I can trace my ancestry all the way back to a founding father. But like so many Black Americans, I’m unable to go back further than a few generations on my father’s side. I wanted to write about someone who went from being rootless and without knowledge of where their family came from to rooted and transformed by their history. Swift River is, in many ways, an ancestor story, while also paying homage to my ancestors who made the Great Migration from rural Georgia."– Essie Chambers, writer of Swift River
All stars
Most relevant  
I enjoyed the book and the reading of it. Different reading than I expected but quite good




Great read

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

I found this novel very relatable. Listening to the struggles, of a young mixed race couple and their young child. Highlighting their relationship especially the father and family dynamics while striving to care financially for his young family. Really sort of hit home as you see your own family members dealing with the same issues while praying for only the best for them.

Life For Some Not All

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

The themes layered and the metaphors and similes were well done. Through it all, a young Diamond persevered and was destined for excellence.

Diamond had a sad life.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

I was riveted to the story on the first page. The authors writing is so beautiful and colorful. I laughed, I cried and I was up all night listening. The narration is phenomenal ****chef’s kiss.

A Exquisite Coming of Age Story

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

Decent for a debut, but I got lost during translation. The mom sounded confused all the time but I loved that she loved her daughter. Dad’s disappearance bothered me and the back and forth family letters sounded like the aunt was more about her life vs Diamond. Then the end of book was rushed.
The reason I downloaded the book was because it was recommended. For that reason, I may keep in my library. Otherwise, I’d return it. Perhaps I still have some hidden biases that surfaced during and after reading this book. The mixed children I’ve read about and those I’ve met often seem confuse. This story is no different.
What surprised me most is that the book was published by Simon & Schuster - I just wonder who’s a friend of a friend because this book would NEVER make it otherwise. Sorry. 🤷🏾‍♂️

Swift River

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

Great narration helped bring each of the characters to life. I especially enjoyed the older characters and the "Valley girl" narrater.

This story touched me in so many ways and connected me to my own generational story.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

The novel dignifies the ostracism of living with small town racial and economic oppression without patronizing or preaching. Instead, the narrative voices of the biracial protagonist and her black kin removed in time and proximity weave together to show the trauma of racism and the resilience of these characters, who somehow always choose love. This is a stunning and deeply human story

Achingly beautiful

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

The characters are all very unlikeable. The narrator giving them voice makes it worse.

Listening to Diamond crave a gray, discarded burger from the ground made me wretch.

The mother’s voice made me want to stop listening altogether.

I kept waiting for it to get better.

It never did.

A Meh Story with an Awful Narration

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

I truly enjoyed the characters in Swift River and how I felt I knew everything about them. The details from the generational letters were wonderful. Great story!

Loved how the story was told through letters!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

I laughed, i cried, brilliant and imperfect characters. Highly recommend this tale of generations and generational wealth for a black family. Inspiring

Outstanding

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

See more reviews